International audience: 'Evil Unbound' is more than a film

"The movie 'Evil Unbound' is a stark reminder of the past and a testament to the importance of remembering history. [It is] so much more than just a film," a viewer named Ehsan Hami posted on the social platform X after watching the newly released movie.

The film tells the story of Wang Yongzhang, a local vendor, and others imprisoned in the "special prison" of Japan's notorious Unit 731 during World War II. Lured by false promises of freedom in return for cooperating in supposed health checks and disease prevention research, they instead became victims of horrific medical experiments, including frostbite tests, gas exposure and vivisection.

Unit 731, a top-secret biological and chemical warfare research base in Pingfang District of Harbin, the capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, served as the nerve center for Japanese biological warfare in China and Southeast Asia during WWII.

After the premiere of the movie in New York City, the U.S., audience members said the film not only highlights a lesser-known chapter of history but also encourages reflection on its broader significance.

"It's a very impactful film, has a very bold vision, and tells an important story about history," Jonathan, an on-site viewer, told CGTN.

Kimbal Cariou, president of the Vancouver Peace Council, spoke to CGTN after watching the premiere in Vancouver, a city in Western Canada.

"I hadn't heard about Unit 731 before seeing the publicity," he said. "The specific details are not very well known to people in Canada. So it was very useful to be able to see this film that shows exactly how things happened."

Some YouTube users expressed hope in the comments of the movie's trailer that the film could be released in their countries.

A South Korean user said that the "human experiments conducted by Unit 731 on Asians, including Chinese and Koreans, are among the worst incidents in history. I'm grateful that China stepped up and made this film. I'd love to see it when it's released in South Korea."

A Japanese user commented that many people in Japan "either don't know about past war crimes or think they're someone else's problem." He said he wants to watch the film and hopes that his country "properly confront the tragedies his nation caused."

The movie "Evil Unbound (731)" opened in theaters across China on Thursday and will also be released globally in the following weeks, with screenings scheduled in countries and regions including Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, South Korea and China's Hong Kong and Macao.